FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HALIFAX, NS — Halifax International Security Forum, North America’s leading foreign affairs and defense conference, today released its agenda and an outline of some of its leading participants.

The agenda release comes on the same day that Canada’s Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, announced his new cabinet including the re-appointment of the Honourable Harjit Sajjan as Minister of National Defence. Minister Sajjan will be the official host of the Forum, which will be held November 22-24.

Participants from more than 80 democratic countries will hear from Robert C. O’Brien, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, on the topic of Preserving Peace through Strength. Other notable participants from the United States include Richard V. Spencer, Secretary of the Navy; Senator Jim Risch (R-ID), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA); Admiral Philip Davidson, Commander of Indo-Pacific Command; General Terrence O’Shaughnessy, Commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and Northern Command; and Admiral Karl Schultz, Commandant of the United States Coast Guard.

Halifax is also pleased to welcome Petro Poroshenko, former President of Ukraine, who will speak at the Forum on Sunday.

A copy of the complete agenda can be viewed here. Among the plenary session highlights are:

• Values Trade: Our Way or the Huawei with Ms. Emily Lau, Former Chairperson, Democratic Party, and Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Democratic Party, Hong Kong; Admiral Karl Schultz, Commandant, United States Coast Guard; Lady Pauline Neville-Jones, Member, House of Lords, United Kingdom; and Mr. Josh Rogin, Columnist, Foreign Policy and National Security, The Washington Post.
• The World’s Democracies: The Importance of Being Allies with Senator Tim Kaine, United States Senator from Virginia; Sir Michael Arthur, President, Boeing International; and General Rajmund Andrzejczak, Chief of the General Staff, Polish Armed Forces.
• And, Revolutions and their Remains with Ambassador Jacqueline O’Neill, Ambassador for Women, Peace and Security, Canada; Ms. Morgan Ortagus, Spokesperson, United States Department of State; Dr. Josef Joffe, Publisher and Editor, Die Zeit, and Distinguished Visiting Fellow, Hoover Institution; and Ms. Ia Meurmishvili, Senior Editor, Voice of America, Georgia.

Over the past eleven years, Halifax International Security Forum has helped leaders from over 80 democratic countries identify future trends and then work together to deal with the challenges that arise from them.

Along with the plenaries and presentations, Halifax International Security Forum will recognize this year’s class of the Peace With Women Fellowship and award the John McCain Prize for Leadership in Public Service, which will be presented by Mrs. Cindy McCain.

Halifax International Security Forum is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan organization based in Washington, DC. The Forum is made possible by the generous support from its partners, including the Government of Canada, and the Halifax Canada Club.

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For more information, please contact: Robin MacLachlan, Communications Manager, Halifax International Security Forum – (613) 294-6128

For media inquiries or to register for accreditation to the Forum please contact communications@halifaxtheforum.org

Please direct other inquiries to info@halifaxtheforum.org